Softball sweeps FDU to clinch playoff berth
Pioneers heading to postseason for first time
Chris Whittemore
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Sports
The Sacred Heart University's softball team defeated the Farleigh Dickinson Knights on Saturday, April 25 at Pioneer Park on Senior Day. With the double-header sweep, the women's softball team clinched a Northeast Conference playoff berth for the first time in the program's history.
The Pioneers are now 18-26 overall and 11-7 in the NEC. They are going into the tournament as either the third or fourth seed. Long Island University and Robert Morris University are ranked above them.
Both games finished with 9-1 victories for the Pioneers. Sophomore pitcher Jen Russell pitched both games giving up no earned runs in 10 innings and striking out 12 batters.
Russell is now 13-14 with a 1.60 ERA. She has pitched 175 innings and struck out 150 batters this season.
"I knew I was going to be pitching both games so I wanted to make sure that I was mixing pitches really well," said Russell.
Sophomore catcher Shannon McCoy went 3-5 with seven RBIs to lead the team.
"I didn't even know that I had 7 RBIs until after the game," said McCoy. "The only thing I thought of was that I need to drive these girls in."
The Pioneers erupted in the first inning of game one, scoring five runs in the top of the first.
Centerfielder Taylor Froelich led off the game with a double to left-centerfield. She finished 5-8 on the day.
Senior outfielder Jessica Perez singled in Froelich to make the score 1-0. The Pioneers scored four more runs to extend the lead to 5-0.
"As a team we need to realize that it's in our grasp now to do something huge for our team and for the program," said senior infielder Betsy Harvey. "We are a strong team and have the capability to beat any team in the conference on any given day."
The Pioneers extended their lead in the second inning when sophomore infielder Courtney Lee led off with a walk and then stole second base.
Junior outfielder Adrian Fitzsimon singled her in to extend the Pioneer lead to 6-0. Fitzsimon is batting .255 with 15 RBI on the year.
The Pioneers are now 18-26 overall and 11-7 in the NEC. They are going into the tournament as either the third or fourth seed. Long Island University and Robert Morris University are ranked above them.
Both games finished with 9-1 victories for the Pioneers. Sophomore pitcher Jen Russell pitched both games giving up no earned runs in 10 innings and striking out 12 batters.
Russell is now 13-14 with a 1.60 ERA. She has pitched 175 innings and struck out 150 batters this season.
"I knew I was going to be pitching both games so I wanted to make sure that I was mixing pitches really well," said Russell.
Sophomore catcher Shannon McCoy went 3-5 with seven RBIs to lead the team.
"I didn't even know that I had 7 RBIs until after the game," said McCoy. "The only thing I thought of was that I need to drive these girls in."
The Pioneers erupted in the first inning of game one, scoring five runs in the top of the first.
Centerfielder Taylor Froelich led off the game with a double to left-centerfield. She finished 5-8 on the day.
Senior outfielder Jessica Perez singled in Froelich to make the score 1-0. The Pioneers scored four more runs to extend the lead to 5-0.
"As a team we need to realize that it's in our grasp now to do something huge for our team and for the program," said senior infielder Betsy Harvey. "We are a strong team and have the capability to beat any team in the conference on any given day."
The Pioneers extended their lead in the second inning when sophomore infielder Courtney Lee led off with a walk and then stole second base.
Junior outfielder Adrian Fitzsimon singled her in to extend the Pioneer lead to 6-0. Fitzsimon is batting .255 with 15 RBI on the year.
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